The Recession Luxury Wrap - New Idea

During these tough times, sometimes it pays to look at your completed garments for inspiration.... Take this lovely Noro Silk Garden long sleeve ribbed hoody. I made this a few years ago, my first venture into Noro yarns and I was hooked. The only problem, and maybe some of you have run into this one, even if you knit to gauge and the article if PERFECT when done, when you cold wash and lie flat to dry Silk Garden, the yarn becomes softer (nice) and bigger (not so nice) and looses the stretchy rib (flattens out). This was knit from a Noro pattern book, and fit snug and flatteringly when done, and since then it has grown to a big loose housecoat with sleeves that need to be rolled up (twice) to use my hands. Since then I don't use a rib pattern for silk garden and I wash the swatch and knit to that gauge. My 3 subsequent Silk Garden attempts have been perfect.
ANYWAY, I have looked longingly at that first sweater, a colorway that is a favourite. Then I thought... frog it (rip - it, rip - it). This yarn is fun to knit in domino style. Worked in squares with decreases at the diagonal until one stitch is left, then pick up stitches for the next square, it builds quickly. Any yarn that changes colours looks great like this, or you could use stash odd balls and build a crazy quilt of sorts.
I will post the exact pattern in a few days when I figure out the size and final shape, but heres a sneak peak at the wrap in progress...
and the sleeve - less sweater, soon to be further frogged ...

so search your closet for rip-worthy luxury yarns... silk, merino, cashmere, all worth a re-knit into a luxury wrap for sure. :)